1. To your mind, what is the status of cycle shorts now?
A. They are the height of chic, especially when worn with a Chanel jacket. Diana, Princess of Wales really was ahead of her time when she wore them.
B. Strictly for MAMILs (‘middle-aged man in Lycra’) only, surely? Please?
C. Ugh, I wouldn’t touch them with a bargepole... Do you know it takes 200 years for polyester to decompose and this is a trend that is sure to be a totally unsustainable one-season wonder.
___
2. Who was your 2018 style icon?
A. I couldn’t name one. I like to scroll through Instagram and see who catches my eye. Fashion week street style is like Christmas.
B. Holly Willoughby — I love her M&S must-haves! I’m on the waiting list for a pair of Grenson Nanette boots so I can get her jungle look.
C. David Attenborough — ‘Blue Planet II’ opened my eyes to the scourge of plastic and ever since I’ve been trying to make better choices.
___
3. What was your animal print of choice?
A. Snakeskin. I’ll take anything that Natacha Ramsay-Levi puts on the Chloe catwalk.
B. Leopard. This was the year it went from Bet Lynch to acceptable for me.
C. Hmmm, I don’t do animal print. Having gone vegan, I prefer to steer clear of any animal references at all.
___
4. Have you figured out what a Midaxi is?
A. I love this skirt length. I have four! They look so perfect with slouchy boots.
B. Oh, I’m not entirely sure but it sounds a bit like one of those made-up fashion words that doesn’t really make sense.
C. Is it some sort of rival to Uber? Have you thought about cycling instead?
___
5. Which bag did you carry in 2018?
A. The Dior saddle bag, I scoured Vestiaire Collective for the perfect vintage Nineties one.
B. A Strathberry Midi tote bag, it’s the ideal size for work.
C. Matt and Nat’s Bini bucket, it’s the vegan leather bag du jour. Although now I have my eye on Stella McCartney’s star bag, too.
___
6. What did black mean to you in 2018?
A. Beige is the new black. You only need to look at Riccardo Tisci’s Burberry debut to know that.
B. It’s a classic, isn’t it? Though I think navy and pale grey are more flattering.
C. It was a way to show solidarity with the Time’s Up movement. I even ordered the T-shirt.
___
7. Imagine a Met Gala invite (theme: Catholic glamour) had dropped on to your doormat. Whose outfit would yours have most resembled?
A. Susie Cave as a Gucci nun was pure fashion.
B. Brooke Shields in Zac Posen. It was a little off-theme, but so timelessly sophisticated.
C. Lena Waithe in a rainbow cape — she was so clever to use the red carpet for a message of inclusivity.
___
8. What was your high street purchase of the year?
A. Arket’s checked trouser suit is sublime.
B. The M&S mustard pussy-bow dress. After I saw it on Erica Davies, I knew I had to have it.
C. I feel suffocated whenever I go near a high-street store. I prefer Reve En Vert or Antibad.
___
9. Which royal’s style did you most relate in 2018?
A. The Queen on the front row of the Richard Quinn show at London Fashion Week.
B. The Duchess of Cambridge when she reintroduced LK Bennett to her wardrobe after a two-year hiatus.
C. The Duchess of Sussex when she wore Outland Denim jeans, which are made by women who have been victims of sex trafficking in Cambodia.
10. Who was your wedding goals?
A. Model Emma Leth was my ultimate modern bride in Jacquemus’s enormous La Bomba sun hat and a sheer lace dress. Dreamy.
B. It’s a toss up between Priyanka Chopra (that 75ft train!), Meghan Markle (that tiara!) and Gwyneth Paltrow (that custom Valentino!).
C. I know you’ll be shocked by my answer here, but Princess Eugenie. She went plastic-free, which I really admired.
___
11. Are you Team Old Celine or Team New Celine?
A. I thought old Celine but now that I’ve seen Natalie Portman in one of Hedi Slimane’s tuxedo suits, I’m (very) slowly coming around to the idea.
B. I love Celine Dion, but couldn’t possibly choose between her Titanic days and her fashion icon comeback.
C. I’m old Celine to the core. Phoebe Philo was so empowering for women.
___
12. What was the standout Melania Trump outfit of the year?
A. OK, I know this is bad but I kind of loved the cream trouser suit she wore in Egypt (top) — Coco Chanel vibes!
B. OK, I know this is bad but that J Mendel gown she wore at Blenheim Palace was beautiful! And I liked the Beauty and the Beast narrative it suggested (right).
C. The “I really don’t care, do u?” jacket (from Zara, of all places) really showed her true colours (middle).
___
13. Which new label did you add to your wardrobe?
A. Rokh — this former Celine designer is making an excellent go of filling the void for intelligently elegant pieces. The houndstooth trench is my most worn piece so far this winter.
B. Rixo — their bright and beautiful dresses are so easy to wear and look divine.
C. Nanushka — the vegan leather midi dress is to die for.
___
14. Your Instagram must-follow this year was...
A. @diet_prada for its sharp exposes, always with a side of LOLZ.
B. @mother_of_daughters for her real lifestyle.
C. I’ve been reconnecting with offline life, actually.
___
15. Who was your model of the year?
A. Adut Akech because she conjured a spectacular fashion moment when she wore that saffron gown at Valentino Couture.
B. Ashley Graham because she’s a plus-size goddess.
C. Tasha Tilberg because she’s juggled her modelling comeback with organic farming.
___
16. What was your fashion moment of the year?
A. Michelle Obama when she wore Balenciaga glitter boots for the final stop of her book tour last week.
B. Frances McDormand going make-up free to pick up her Oscar.
C. I can’t decide between Burberry and Chanel announcing they would stop using fur and the Duchess of Sussex saying that it’s “cool to be kind” at the Fashion Awards.
___
17. Who is your TV fashion heroine of the year?
A. Villanelle in ‘Killing Eve’ — I need that Molly Goddard dress.
B Tess Daly, that Strictly wardrobe!
C. Stacey Dooley. Her documentary about fashion’s environmental impact was shocking.
___
18. What were your trainers of choice?
A. Balenciaga Triple S and Louis Vuitton Archlights, I got both. In several colours.
B. I stick to the old faithfuls... Converse, Superga and Stan Smiths because they go with everything. Oh, I did treat myself to some Golden Gooses too.
C. Rainforest-friendly Vejas, thank you very much. I’m now considering a pair of Allbirds.
___
19. How do you define “cappuccino dressing”?
A. It’s the art of wearing different yet complementary shades of brown in one outfit. I’ve been doing knitted fawn culottes with a chocolate-hued cashmere rollneck.
B. Is this what you wear to go for coffee with the girls? If so, I’m thinking jeans and my newJ Crew jumper.
C. Whatever it is, please make mine with oat milk.
___
20 What piece of jewellery was on your Christmas list?
A. Completed Works’ ‘The Advice of Edvard Munch’ collection of gold and pearl earrings — they’re modern classics with an architectural feel.
B. Monica Vinader’s Alta Capture charm bracelet — it’s the way that everyone is creating their “arm party” these days.
C. Lilian von Trapp’s Triple Structured One ring — her minimalist pieces are made to high ethical standards.
___
HOW DID YOU DO?
Mostly As
Congratulations, you have been paying attention to — and acting upon — fashion’s every whim this year. The who’s in and what’s out is catnip to you, the merry-go-round of designers is your personal EastEnders and the latest It label/item a daily Everest to be conquered; you will not rest in your quest to always be on point and know exactly the right name to drop. Being honest, there are some who will not really get your style, but as long as the right people can recognise that your Rejina Pyo Perspex heels are the sandal of the season, you don’t mind a few perplexed looks. You have a sixth sense (carefully honed via extensive research/ browsing/scrolling) for the Next Big Thing and then probably help to make it happen.
Your 2019 forecast: You’ve already booked your tickets for the V&A’s forthcoming Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition and will be pre-ordering Daniel Lee’s debut collection for Bottega Veneta — the square-toe heels are top of your list.
Mostly Bs
Congratulations, you are part of a power group which doesn’t get too caught up in the minutiae. You just like clothes that look really nice, who doesn’t?! The barometer for you is knowing that your choices will have your mother-in-law/best friend/woman in the local coffee shop offering up a steady stream of compliments. You have an impressive knowledge of small labels doing excellent things (you introduced your friends to Lily and Lionel) but you’re also first to try the new offerings on the high street (John Lewis and Partners was your favourite launch of the year). You think fashion is at its best when it reflects reality, so you love the body positivity movement. You were part of making a super-influencer of Holly Willoughby (if you weren’t convinced before I’m a Celeb, you are now) and the high street is relying on you (imagine a Lord Kitchener-esque point here).
Your 2019 forecast: Who knows? But it will likely involve scouring M&S for a sold-out blouse/skirt/kitten heels.
Mostly Cs
Congratulations, you are very woke, which is the coolest thing a fashion person could be right now. You have watched all the documentaries, read the books and can reel off all the stats. Now you make it your mission to prove that being stylish and saving the planet can go hand in hand. An eco-friendly KeepCup is your constant accessory — you have one in every colour! (You do see that this could defeat the object a little, but it was so hard to whittle it down.) Even if you do get a little carried away with snapping up the chicest of sustainable innovations, your modus operandi is where we should all be heading, one vegan leather trainer-clad step at a time.
Your 2019 forecast: You will be embarking on a shopping ban, but your mettle will be tested when Stella McCartney and Gwyneth Paltrow announce a collaborative line of luxe ethical cashmere.
Disclaimer: In all likelihood, we are a little bit of all three, which is exactly as it should be.
